Thousands of Saskatoon residents came down to the river — hoping to be a part of history and create the world’s longest chalk mural.
Thousands of pieces of chalk were at the ready for chalkers to cover Meewasin Trail.
It’s all part of the Meewasin Valley Authority‘s 40th-anniversary celebration.
The idea served as a way to bring the community together for the occasion.
“I was out running and had seen some drawings on the trial and thought it would be fun to check out what the record was,” said Amy Wall, Meewasin Valley Authority manager of marketing and fund development. “It seemed somewhat doable and here we are.”
The Guinness World Record sits at 5.73 kilometres. Meewasin was aiming for six kilometres.
According to Wall, they fell just short of their goal — hitting roughly four kilometres. The official length will be determined and announced at a later date.
The trail was measured from the Nutrien Wonderhub, down to the Circle Drive Bridge, under the headway and back along the university side.
Chalkers needed to fill in a two-metre wide section of the trail, making sure no concrete was visible. People could draw anything Meewasin themed.
“That’s anything from the bees, to the bikes, to the bridges, and the river valley,” explained Andrea Lafond, Meewasin Valley Authority chief executive officer. “The expectation is (the trail) has to be completely filled in.”
WATCH (Aug. 21, 2019): Parkinson Superwalk at Meewasin Park North on Sept. 8
For two younger participants, there was no better way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon.
“It’s good to spend some time with the community and meet new people,” said chalk mural participant Olivia Lafond.
“I just like playing with sidewalk chalk,” added fellow mural participant Ella Peters.
The event is a way for people to experience the entirety of the Meewasin Trail firsthand.
“We have over 67 square kilometres, which is about the equivalent of 13,400 football fields,” explained Wall. “It’s a really big natural area that has great access to the river. A lot of other cities don’t get to enjoy.”